The Rubin Museum of Art has hired Risha Lee, currently the assistant curator of South and Southeast Asian art at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, to join the institution as Curator, Exhibitions. In her new role, Lee will lead a multifaceted creative team to develop a forthcoming series of exhibitions. She will also collaborate with the entire curatorial staff at the Rubin for other exhibition projects.

“Risha’s energy, expertise, and leadership will help shape the exhibition program at the Rubin, connecting new audiences to the Himalayan region – and beyond, including India and China,” said Patrick Sears, Executive Director. “Her extensive research on the cross-cultural exchange of art, people, and ideas integrates well with our mission, and we’re thrilled she is joining our team.”

In Minneapolis, Lee organized several exhibitions and made important acquisitions for the permanent collection. These exhibitions include Sacred Power; Flight into Nature; and Imperial Nature: Flora, Fauna, and Colonialism in India. The latter show explored the themes of Indo-European encounter, exchange of scientific knowledge, and natural history painting in India and Europe.

Prior to her work in Minneapolis, Lee held research and teaching positions at the National University of Singapore, the American University of Beirut, and Columbia University.  She received her doctorate in art history from Columbia University and her B.A. from Harvard College. Lee will start at the Rubin on July 1